If signed shipping documents are not received within the specified timeframe, which agency should be notified?

• A. The state regulator
• B. The EPA
• C. The local health department
• D. The carrier

Answer: (B)

When hazardous waste is shipped, a manifest travels with the waste and must be signed by the receiving facility to confirm proper receipt. If that signed document isn’t returned within the regulatory timeframe (usually about 35 days after shipment), you must notify the EPA. The Environmental Protection Agency oversees the hazardous waste manifest system at the federal level and will help locate the missing documentation and ensure compliance. State regulators may handle implementation in authorized programs, but the missing-manifest notification is directed to the EPA. The carrier isn’t the appropriate channel for this regulatory notification, though they can aid in tracing the shipment.